Pick Your Poison | Tuesday

[intraspective]

Last week had been a good week to do inventory and the fruits of that were now on the shelves, new and freshly made, and ready for purchase…

It was, however, spring and that always did put her in the mood for cleaning, so…

Radio was cranked, playing bippy Japanese pop, that Iris sang along with as she scrubbed each shelf methodically before moving onto the next and the next. She'd stop if a customer came by but until then…

Pick Your Poison is Open!

Comments

[crimson_sister]

Lucille had more or less just stepped through the portal, a small suitcase in her hand - the rest would be delivered later - when she entered the shop.

"Hello?" she said, trying to drown out the music.

[intraspective]

It was alright, Lucille! The perks of being a mind reader were that, even when not actively reading minds, she knew exactly when someone stepped into her shop.

The excited chirping of Silly helped too as he bumbled his way over to say hi and Iris turned the music down with a flick of her hair as she came to see who--

"Minion!"

Iris, that wasn't how you were supposed to refer to people, but she was beaming in delight.

"Lucille! It's been ages!"

[crimson_sister]

"It has."

Lucille smiled.

"I'm back."

[intraspective]

"An' that's a fantastic thin', right?" Iris checked, still beaming and mostly sure it was due to that smile but... checking was always good. "Everythin' okay?"

[crimson_sister]

"Well," she said. "My brother passed away. At school. I didn't have time to get there for the funeral. It felt lonely after that, so I thought that perhaps coming here would be the right thing to do."

[intraspective]

Iris paused at that.

"Lonely ain't a comfortable thin'," she admitted. "Bein' here and gettin' busy can help. It's too bad you missed class sign ups--they're doin' 'em this summer for townies too. It's fun."

She did not express her condolences, uncertain if Lucille would want them.

"Tea?" she suggested, instead.

[crimson_sister]

She wasn't much for grieving in public.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you."

"I think it's best to let the first few months here be a bit quieter, if the island permits it. I'm glad you're still here. Most of my friends have left."

[intraspective]

"You'll make new friends," she said, drifting behind the counter to busy herself with tea. "It's been a quiet summer so far, ain't nothin' like what last year was. You'll have time for your thoughts and more."

Sometimes too much time, speaking of herself.

[crimson_sister]

"That sounds like what I need," she said. "Has anything happened recently that I should be aware of?"

[intraspective]

"You should try and do the Wednesday shenanigans, at least," Iris said, smiling. "Ain't no fish to worry 'bout."

She still missed the fish.

"There's a new cop in town, Danny Williams, and he's a real stickler for the law if you know what I mean," Iris said, raising her eyebrows significantly.

She hadn't seen hide nor hair of him but... well. Given everything her shop sold, under the right circumstances...

"And two people went missin' last week while walkin' the preserve," Iris continued. "Everyone's all het up 'bout Octavia bein' gone--she works at the flower shop--but her brother's missin' too. So if you're keen to be walkin' 'bout, take precautions, more than usual, yeah?"

[crimson_sister]

"At least I still have your gift," Lucille said, smiling. "Does a cop like that make any friends here?"

[intraspective]

"Too soon to really tell," Iris said, smiling back as she served the tea. "Orange-lavender, my own blend. Can't guess people'll be too fond of him if he doesn't learn to lighten up."

[crimson_sister]

"Thank you," Lucille said. "Your teas are much better than anything I can get at home. And a nosy cop would be really annoying."